The Road That You Go
by La Mademoiselle
Summary: OC-centric.  When the forces of good and evil battle it out, what happens to the innocent people caught in the middle? -ONESHOT-


First story in a while. Sorry for the long absence, I'm officially back in school so I've been very busy lately.

I heard this song on a video and I was wanting to try my hand some _Harry Potter_ fanfiction, featuring my character Finn. Set during the Deathly Hallows.

We all know what happened to the main characters of the story, but what about all the innocent people who were caught up in the battle between good and evil?

**DISCLAIMER:** Harry Potter and all associated characters, mythos, and ideas are copyright of J.K. Rowling. Bailey Watson-MacIntyre and Fiona "Finn" MacIntyre only belong to me. No profit is being made from this.

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><p><em>Glasgow, Scotland. January 5th, 1998.<em>

It was cold and cramped where she knelt. Only a few feet and she'd be safely ensconced in the warmth of her house. The snarling voices inside were the only things that kept Finn where she was, trying to peek in through the window without being seen by Mum or the men who'd appeared in their kitchen. Dad was away, the Morgans' dog had suddenly gotten sick and he went out to have a look. Finn was supposed to be at her friend Lucy's for a sleepover but she'd forgotten the socks she always wore to bed and so she'd snuck back home to get them only to find strange men accosting her mother.

She'd seen them before: a group of ragtag misfits in dirty, tattered clothing. Their leader had spoken to her on her way home from school.

_"__Your __mummy__ '__ome, __Love?__" __he __asked, __smiling __at __her. __He __smelled __like __dirt __and __Dad __after __he__'__d __been __running __for __hours ,__and __something __about __the __way __he __spoke __and __smiled __terrified __her._

_ "No…" Mum had told her never to talk to strangers, but Finn was too afraid of what he might do to her if she didn't talk._

_ "You know where she went then?" his tone was casual._

_ "No… sorry…" she shook her head, hoping, pleading that the man would just go and take his friends with him. Did he know Mum's secret? The one she'd sworn never to tell Lucy?_

_ "Wha' if the kid's lyin'?" one of the other men asked._

_ "Doubt it, kids like 'er don' lie," the leader turned back to the rest of the group. He patted her roughly on the head. "Let's go, Boys, Fenrir's waitin'" With that, they all disappeared in front of her._

"She doesn't have any magic!" Mum shouted, "She's a Squib!"

"Now, now, Darling, that's not true an' we both know it," it was the man from earlier that day! She froze where she knelt. "Girl's a metamorphamagus, can't 'ide that with 'er control as weak as it is. I bet she don't even realize the changes 'alf the time." He seemed to purr, making Finn want to throw up where she was from fear, but adrenaline kept her from doing so. "Now… just be a good mudblood an' come to the Ministry with us, we promise we won't 'urt your 'usband or your daughter…"

"Liar. You'll kill them the moment you find them…" Mum was using the tone of voice she only used when she was truely angry. Finn snuck a quick peek. Mum had her wand out and was facing down the five men who surrounded her. No! Mum hadn't done anything! She was content to live out the rest of her life as a muggle! "I've done nothing to warrant being dragged up before some inquisition, now get out of my house."

"Sorry, Love, all mudbloods are required to register and sit through an interview, you're already in enough trouble… tryin' to 'ide yourself from us… per'aps they'll go easy on you if you come quietly."

"_Stupefy!_" Finn flinched as something large and heavy slammed against the wall mere inches away. She knew she couldn't stay where she was, the men would find her and… well… she didn't know what they'd do to her if they did. She was sure she didn't want to know. Finn crawled away from the house, up and running once she was some distance away.

She paused once, looking back over her shoulder. The windows of her house were lit with an eerie green that chilled her to the core. Then everything was still except for distant, shadowy figures that disappeared into the cold winter's night.

Should she go back? Did she even want to? Maybe Mum was hurt and needed her help… those men were obviously a nasty sort. Finn ran back to the house, not even considering the possibility that someone would still be there, lying in wait for anyone to return.

The kitchen was a mess, the table overturned, sink spraying water everywhere, scorch marks on the walls and ceiling, and all the cabinets blown open and their contents scattered across the floor. Finn picked her way across the room, taking care not to slip on anything as she followed the path of destruction through the house. One of the men lay eerily still in the hallway, obviously dead the moment she passed him.

"_Bombarda!_" something upstairs blew up. Mum…? Finn swallowed her terror and climbed the stairs, following the smell of smoke. She could hear sirens in the distance. One of their neighbors must have called the police when they heard the ruckus. Mum staggered out of one of the rooms, the man from earlier that day following her, smirking as he advanced.

"Give it up, Bailey, you might 'ave gotten one of my boys and sent the rest running, but you won't get rid of me so easily," he told her. "Now, it's in my best interests to bring you back alive…"

"Mummy?" the word slipped out before Finn could stop herself and both the adults turned to look at her. Mum's face went white and the man chuckled.

"Well now, seems we 'ave a bit of leverage now. C'mere, Lovey," he reached out for Finn. "An' you said she was a Squib. Look at that 'air, it was red when we met earlier, and I'm sure green isn't a natural color." Finn looked at the ends of her hair, it was indeed green, as it turned whenever she was terrified. She'd blown Mum's lie out of the water.

"Stay away from my daughter, you piece of filth!" Mum raised her wand as if to cast another spell.

"Careful, we wouldn't want to accidentally 'urt poor little Fiona, would we?" he reminded her of Tom the cat whenever he succeeded in catching his prey, only this time, there would be no hijinks, no funny escapes or anvils to flatten him. She held her breath, wondering if she could bolt for the stairs before he could catch her. "C'mere, Finny, I'm not gonna 'urt you," she shuddered at his tone. He was lying, she was sure of it.

"Bastard!" Mum lunged for the man, knocking Finn away in the process. They flailed about, fighting over wands, each trying to get the other's.

"_Stupefy!_" a burst of light shot from the man's wand, sending Mum flying down the hall to slam into a wall with a sickening crack. "Well 'ell… that can't have been good." The woman slid the floor to land in a crumpled heap. Finn staggered to her feet, trying to force her heavy legs.

"Mum! Mum! No!" she managed to shove past the man to cradle Mum's body. In a normal situation, she might have demanded to know why and what his purpose was, but she couldn't bring herself to speak. Just rocked back and forth and sobbed.

He leaned down and grabbed Mum's body from her. "I'll just be takin' this then."

"Wait! You can't!" Finn chased after him, watching as he barricaded the front door to keep the police out. Setting Mum down, he lit a fire, pulling a handful of fine powder out of an urn on the mantle. "No! Stop it! Bring her back!"

"Ministry of Magic!" there was a roar of green flames that shot out of the fire place as the police burst through the barricade.

"No! Mummy!" Finn tried reaching out for him, but the fire was back to normal.

Mum was gone, and she could do nothing but fall to her knees and cry, even when the policemen dragged her away.

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><p><em>May there always be angels to watch over you<em>

_To guard you each step of the way _

_To guard you and keep you safe from all harm _

_Loo-li,loo-li,lai-lay _

_Loo-li,loo-li,lai-lay_


End file.
